Don't Be Scared by Energy Vampires!

Energy Vampires can strike any home!

With Halloween right around the corner, it's a good time of year to be aware of vampires!  Not Dracula or the characters of Twilight, but energy vampires.

Energy vampires are appliances that drain energy even when turned off or not in use.  Examples are one-use appliances, such as coffee machines and toasters.  Even lamps can drain energy when turned off but still plugged into a wall outlet.  Not only do energy vampires destroy an otherwise green household, but these appliances are a huge waste of money for any apartment renter.

Here are some ways to stop energy vampires during Halloween:

1) Watch the lights you use!

• Instead of incandescent light bulbs, switch to LED lights.  LED lights last longer and use less energy as well.

What is Hapenning to Our Natural Resources?

There are over 7 billion people in the world today.  While an impressive number- that means that there are over 7 billion people using the Earth's natural resources.

Before you think- "well, just stop using natural resources!" it is important to note that it isn't that easy to just stop the heavy usage of these resources.  Water is essential to life.  Phosphorous is vital for plant growth.  However, being mindful of the fact that our natural resources shouldn't be wasted is never a bad thing.  Turning off a running tap might not seem like a big deal, but imagine if even a fraction of 7 billion people did the same thing.

What Exactly Is GreenLiving?

We have been giving you weekly GreenLiving tips for some time now, but this week we wanted to impress upon our readers exactly what going green means.

Since starting this blog, people will ask about the point of GreenLiving.  It is not so much taking out the recycling once in a blue moon or choosing to turn off your faucet once a month.  GreenLiving truly makes up a lifestyle choice, and as any lifestyle, it takes time and dedication.

Love Indoor Plants? Want to Conserve Water? It Can Be Done!

One question we often encounter is how it is possible to properly maintain and care for plants while also trying to conserve as much water as possible.  It definitely can be done, and here are some tricks to caring for indoor plants:
Many homeowners love taking care of potted, indoor plants.

Be sure to care for low-maintenance indoor plants!  Some examples include:

1. Succulents- the easiest houseplants to keep alive. They like dry soil, so they almost beg to be ignored. Generally, they need to be watered every three to four days, but it depends on the humidity in your home. Aloe Vera is a particularly good choice in succulent, because the gel from the leaves can be used in a variety of ways (most notably soothing sunburn). Succulents like sunny spots, and a row of them looks charming in a windowsill.

2. Spider plants are also very easy to care for and notoriously hard to kill. These also do great as hanging plants, which is a bonus if you have pets or small children that can’t resist digging around in soil (or eating leaves). Spider plants can even survive without natural light, so it’s a good choice if you don’t have a particularly sunny home.